This week Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was denied a visit to Ground Zero. Ahmadinejad asked that he be allowed to lay a wreath at the site while he visits New York next week. Today ABC News reports that Ahmadinejad may go anyway, permission or no permission, and has even announced when.

I really don't know what to say, but figured I'd post it anyway and see what you guys think.

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I'm still thinking about the title of the article. Does "Crooks and Liars" think Ahmadinejad is asking for trouble, or that Michelle Malkin is (or maybe both)?

Obviously, it's a publicity stunt for him. He knows that if he were to go down there, he's not going to be in any danger. We'll offer him plenty of free police protection, because that's what we do in this country. If he is still denied access to the site, he can play that to his advantage as well on the world stage. I really don't see any downside to this for him, regardless of how it goes. He really is a pretty sharp politician.

Ahmadinejad requested special permission visit to the pit, which is construction site now. He was told by the city what anyone else would have been told had they made such a request -- no. And this is a big story? Next thing you know, we'll be hearing great wailing and moaning about how he was denied permission to climb the outside of the Empire State Building.

Ahmadinejad requested special permission visit to the pit, which is construction site now. He was told by the city what anyone else would have been told had they made such a request -- no. And this is a big story? Next thing you know, we'll be hearing great wailing and moaning about how he was denied permission to climb the outside of the Empire State Building.

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I would have allowed him to visit the Holocaust memorial escorted by survivors and descendants.

Keep up what? I wasn't aware they were doing anything worse than what this country is doing.

If the US keeps up what it's doing, we'll have a second Ground Zero to deny people access to lay wreaths at.

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Do you seriously think that all countries should be allowed to do anything that the US and European countries do with their military and scientific efforts? You think that the world is just one big Disney attraction where people of different colors, languages and dress all sing "It's a Small World" and then play nice together afterwards?

Do you seriously think that all countries should be allowed to do anything that the US and European countries do with their military and scientific efforts? You think that the world is just one big Disney attraction where people of different colors, languages and dress all sing "It's a Small World" and then play nice together afterwards?

That's seriously twisted.

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That's nice, but it didn't really answer any of my questions. The only thing we hear bad about Iran is coming from the mouth of the right-wing in this country, who are trying to incite another war.

We don't know for sure if they are using their nuclear capabilities for weapons or power. We know FOR SURE that Iran has helped Iraq with their infrastructure. I think they built a power plant for them recently. I'm sure the Americans will declare it a terrorist stronghold and blow it up soon, for the sake of the Iraqis.

Until you come up with evidence that Iran is doing "evil things", I won't believe a word that comes out of any right-wingers mouth about Iran.

EDIT: The majority opinion in the world would probably find your views infinitely more twisted than mine.

I don't think its our job to be the world police. First off, leave other cultures alone. If there not a threat to the US just let them be. American values and democracy doesn't work in every country. Second, we don't have nearly enough resources or man power to even come close to policing the world or getting involved in every conflict. Just look at how well we handled Iraq. We by no means have enough resources to attack Iran right now yet alone out right invade them. I would go to war with Iran if they were directly threatening US interests but they are not. BTW, we are the ones provoking Iran right now. Of course Bush wants to go into Iran. They have one of the worlds biggest oil supplies and most of it is already being tapped so it wouldn't even take much effort for us to take it.

Actually, the most recent strong language has come from France. Iran is indeed provoking other nations by quite deliberately violating the terms of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. They are also arming militant Islamic groups in Gaza and Lebanon.

I would go to war with Iran if they were directly threatening US interests but they are not. BTW, we are the ones provoking Iran right now. Of course Bush wants to go into Iran. They have one of the worlds biggest oil supplies and most of it is already being tapped so it wouldn't even take much effort for us to take it.

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"we are the ones provoking Iran right now"? Have you even looked at a newspaper in the last year or are you just completely making things up?

Is making things worse the gov's job, because that's what they're doing.

For the record, I think this guy is a jerk, deliberately trying to provoke us just as we're deliberately trying to provoke them. All to look like a leader, even if he comes off about as well as our leaders. Which is to say, not so good. And as usual, we're playing right into it just as they're playing right into our bs. Knowing neither of us can really do anything about it. I was just hoping we could be better than that, and find a better way to deal with this than empty threats, but I guess not.

Rather, it looks like the opposite might happen, and those threats might suddenly become less empty, which would unfortunately make whoever strikes first the bad guy, and either way, both sides lose.

Do you seriously think that all countries should be allowed to do anything that the US and European countries do with their military and scientific efforts? You think that the world is just one big Disney attraction where people of different colors, languages and dress all sing "It's a Small World" and then play nice together afterwards?

That's seriously twisted.

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Naive, definitely, but twisted? I'm not sure if this is just poor word choice or a freudian slip.

Iran's actions are intended to be provacations, but we should be very careful in reacting as Ahmadinejad expects or wants. Belligerent talk feels very satisifying, but we simply don't have the resources to fight Iran on its terms and we have lost the credibility to blunt the proliferation of nuclear material and technology, especially politically.

Ahmadinejad requested special permission visit to the pit, which is construction site now. He was told by the city what anyone else would have been told had they made such a request -- no. And this is a big story? Next thing you know, we'll be hearing great wailing and moaning about how he was denied permission to climb the outside of the Empire State Building.

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Anyone else? You honestly think if George Bush's office called and said Dubya had a wreath to lay and oh-by-the-way he wanted to bring some kleig lights and a few dozen cameras along etc. that he would have been told no?

This is not a simple "no you cannot visit a construction site". It's a snub. I don't disagree with snubbing the Iranian president in this situation, but lets not try to pretty this up by saying this is what happens to every head of state who asks to visit Ground Zero.

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